THUNDER BAY – Four years ago Frank Scarcello came within 45 votes of upsetting three-term Westfort Ward Coun. Joe Virdiramo in the 2014 municipal election.
He’s hoping the ensuing years have changed a few people’s minds.
At least 45, to be exact.
Scarcello, one of three people seeking the seat on Oct. 22, lists finding a resolution to reopen the James Street Swing Bridge is the No. 1 issue the Westfort representative needs to deal with over the course of the next four years – though he’s hopeful it doesn’t take that long to conclude.
He’s certainly not happy how the situation has played out in the five years since a fire closed the span to vehicular traffic, Canadian National Railway battling the city in court to keep things that way.
“It should have been done differently four years ago. I think they really blew it. There was an opportunity to negotiate, the city never took it,” Scarcello said, alleging the city had a chance to make a deal but rejected it because council didn’t want to spend money on a bridge it didn’t own.
“Regardless of what happens, the bridge is old. It’s still over 100 years old and I think we have to start thinking about a new bridge down the road, along with Fort William First Nation.”
City-wide, the 59-year-old Scarcello says he wants to be a guardian of the public purse, focusing city spending on the basics of roads and infrastructure. Only when those items are under control does he advocate spending money on luxury items.
An avid opponent of the event centre in 2014 who advocates for common sense thinking, he does support an indoor soccer facility – under the above-mentioned conditions.
But he’s against moving the Thunder Bay Art Gallery to the waterfront, a $33-million project.
“I’m in favour of building assets that we don’t have, rather than rebuilding ones that we do have. I know the (waterfront) art gallery is something a lot of people want, but I think it’s just a poor allocation of scarce resources,” said Scarcello a volunteer with the Regional Food Distribution Association, who has called Westfort home for the past 26 years.
